Local fishermen were left furious when the right to fish on an 800m stretch of the River Loddon at Riverside Park in Lower Earley was sold to Southlake Angling Society without their knowledge.

Angry fisherman said the first thing they knew about the sale was when signs appeared on the river informing them the river was licensed to the angling society, which charges annual membership fees of up to £120 for people fishing on the lake.

Cllr Gary Cowan, executive member for local and regional planning, apologised to residents on behalf of the council at last week’s meeting at Shute End.

He said the council “regretted” not subjecting the proposals to a specific consultation and said: “I apologise that residents and members were not consulted during this process.”

Cllr Swaddle asked the executive member for planning how the river was leased without consultation and said residents were particularly concerned about riverbank access for other users and parking.

Cllr Cowan said: “The council considered that the fishing was previously unmanaged and as a result there were a number of ongoing problems around including litter and river bank erosion.

“In order to protect the local environment for all users officers undertook a tendering exercise with the aim of bringing in a suitable organisation to manage the fishing rights.”

Doug Caiger, club secretary for the Southlake Angling Society, said the group is not actively managing the fishery at present until “certain matters” are resolved.

He added: “At no point have Wokingham Borough Council, nor to my knowledge Earley Town Council, raised any questions regarding the actions of Southlake Angling Society and its role in obtaining the fishing rights at Riverside Park.

“Upon a suitable resolution being agreed between all parties, Southlake Angling Society, and no doubt Wokingham Borough Council and Earley Town Council will make further comment. Until then all parties will be working together to ensure a suitable resolution to fishing rights for the residents of Lower Earley and Earley and members of Southlake Angling Society.”

Cllr Cowan said the number of anglers using the river since the society had taken over the running of the lake was around six per week, including some overnight anglers, which should have no impact on parking in residential areas.

Cllr Swaddle called for the council’s scrutiny committee to review the tendering process and see why a public consultation was not undertaken before the license was granted.